Picnic table



June 3,1941. c. J. NELSON 2,244,211

PI CNI C TABLE Filed Nov. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS C. J. NELSON PICNIC TABLE Filed NOV. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24 A: /20 35, a] I 3Q 4 39 x a? i W l/Z I I 6K \M 3 if 3 {JQ/ P 274 C35 I A #4 i? 6% Ania Ja INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 3, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICNIC TABLE Carl J. Nelson, Los Angelcs, Calif. 7 Application November 2, 1938, Serial No. 238,459

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a picnic table and has for an object to provide a food container, table and server in collapsible form which may be easily carried by one person and which may be set up to form a table by simply lifting leaves to a vertical level whereupon brackets automatically fall into position for supporting the leaves.

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a closed food container which can be converted into a serving table by simply lifting a central portion upward and engaging cam operated locking bars in active position to support the serving table in operative position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a pair of leg forming members adapted to receive bracing members and adapted to pull upwardly against the sides of the closed food container, the bracing members forming bails for transporting the device.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which may be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which can be manufactured inexpensively, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a perspective view of the picnic table in set up position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table in knocked down position for ready transportation.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the table in set up position taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the bottom of the serving table showing the cam operated locking bars for holding the table in operative position.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I designates a substantially square box having hinged at the lower edges of two of its opposite sides a pair of leg forming members ll, these members being provided with centrally disposed arched openings I2 to promote lightness, and being hinged in position through the medium of leaf hinges l3, as best shown in Figure 2. The leg forming members are provided with reversely curved rod braces l 4 the ends of which are pivotally secured in socket members l5 carried by the leg members. These bracing members are adapted to fold upwardly against the sides of the box and form bails which may be connected together through the medium of a cross bar l6 having hooks I! on the ends to engage the members, for transporting the box. The box forms a closed food container in which food and beverages are stored through the medium of a serving table which comprises a bottom l8, best shown in Figure 3, a top l9 which forms a closure for a central opening 20 in the top of the box, and four rods 2| which connect the top with the bottom and slidably engage the corners of the opening 20, as best shown in Figure 1.

The serving table is provided with shelves 22 and with partitions 23 and 24 which divide the serving table into compartments for the reception of bottles and packages of food.

A rod 25 is engaged through a centrally located guide sleeve 26 on the bottom is of the serving table and projects below the bottom where it is secured to the center of a disc 21, best shown in Figure 4. A plurality of locking arms 28 are eccentrically pivoted on the disc 21, as shown at 29, and extend through guide straps 30 secured to the bottom. The rod projects through the top H) of the serving table and is equipped with a knob 3|. The serving table may be lifted from its nested position in the box I ll through the medium of the knob whereupon the knob may berotated to turn the disc 21 through part of a revolution which movement forces the arms 28 outwardly to project through openings 32 formed at the top of the four sides of the box, in which position the arms support the serving table in operative position shown in Figures 1 and 3.

By rotating the knob in theopposite direction the arms 28 are withdrawn from the openings 32 whereupon the serving table may be lowered bodily to rest upon the bottom 33 of the box. 'Ihereupon the knob may be again turned to project the arms 28 through openings 34 formed in the sides of the box near the bottom thereof as best shown in Figure 3.

Table leaves 35 are hinged at the upper ends to the sides of the box as shown at 36. Each leaf is releasably held in extended position through the medium of a pair of braces 31 each formed in two sections pivoted at their outer ends to the box and leaf respectively as shown at 38 and 39 and pivotally connected together at their meeting ends as shown at 40. One of the sections is provided with an extension 4| which overhangs the other section and which is provided with a laterally directed pin 42 adapted to engage in a notch 43 in said other section when the leaf is in horizontal position and support the leaf in horizontal position.

To set up the table it is simply necessary to detach the cross bar l6, rock th leg members I l downwardly, move the bracing members M inwardly toward each other, and releasibly lock the same in this position through the medium of an open loop 44 which is formed in the transverse bar I6, as best shown in Figure 2. This loop is adapted to be engaged over the knob 31 when the box is in the knocked down position as transversely of respective leg members on each side of the receptacle having their ends pivoted to the leg members to be rocked toward each other so that they may extend below and across the bottom of the receptacle when the leg members are disposed in operative position, and a cross bar having terminal hooks and having a centrally disposed loop, said loop being adapted to straddle the brace member and hold the brace members in operative position when the legs are in operative position, said loop being adapted to engage said knob while the hooks engage said braces when the legs and the braces are rocked upwardly to released position to permit the cross shown in Figure 2 and hold the box in this posi-h tion for transportation. When the leg members have been unfolded and anchored in operative position the leaves 35 may be drawn outwardly, the brace members 31 automatically dropping to operative position, as shown in Figure 3 to support the leaves. Thereupon the knob 3| may be grasped and the serving table unlocked by rotation of the knob as above described, then lifted bodily to exposed position above the leaves whereupon the knob may be again turned to engage the arms 28 in the openings 32 and hold the serving table in operative position. To collapse the table to knocked down position the above movements are reversed.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A picnic table comprising, a receptacle forming a food container, a knob on the top of the receptable, leg members hinged at the upper ends to the lower end of the receptacle and foldable upwardly along the sides of the receptacle in released position and rockable downwardly to extend below the bottom of the receptacle in operative position, arcuate brace members disposed bar and braces to serve as a carrying bail.

2. A picnic table comprising, a receptacle forming a food container, leg members hinged at the upper ends to the lower end of the receptacle and foldable upwardly along the sides of the receptacle in released position and rockable downwardly'to extend below the bottom of the receptacle in setup position, a serving table telescopically engaged in said receptacle and having a top forming a closure for the top of said receptacle, a knob on the top of the serving table,

arcuate brace members disposed transversely of respective leg members on each side of the receptacle having their ends pivoted to the leg members to be rocked toward each other so that I they may extend below and across the bottom of the receptacle when the leg members are dis posed in operative position, and a cross bar having terminal hooks and having a centrally disposed loop, said loop being adapted to straddle ithe brace members and hold the brace members in operative position when the legs are in operative position, said loop being adapted to engage said knob while the hooks engage said braces when the serving table is in telescoped p0- jsition and the braces are rocked upwardly to released position for locking the serving table to the receptacle in telescoped position.

CARL J. NELSON, 

